


Redo

by StillNotGinger10 (lilshorty7923)



Series: Redo [1]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, F/M, First Time, Friendship, Humor, M/M, Post Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Romance, Slash, Time Travel, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-01
Updated: 2014-01-22
Packaged: 2017-12-07 05:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/744971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilshorty7923/pseuds/StillNotGinger10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While chasing a rogue alchemist with his brother and Roy Mustang, a 22 year old Ed gets sent back in time, with Al, to right before their first trip to Lior.</p><p>------------------</p><p>I've been saying this is on hiatus, but I'm not sure if I'll ever get back to this verse so it's probably abandoned at this point. I'm sorry to everyone that likes this story. If anyone wants to continue it themselves, go ahead! Just let me know please.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this verse, Ed helped Al recover in Risembool after the Promised Day for about 2 years-maybe a little less than (just like in Brotherhood). During this time, he exchanged letters with Roy, who got promoted to Brigadier General. Once Al was healthy, they went to visit Central before starting their travels. Ed became closer to Roy while they were in Central, and they tentatively started a relationship before Ed left for Xing when he was 18 (I switched it so that Ed went to Xing and Al went to Creta). Ed visited and wrote to Roy often while traveling, and when he came back to Central for good-at age 20-Roy suggested Ed move in with him. Ed has been happily living with Roy for the past 2 years. He is an Alchemy professor at Central University (not a part of the military), but cannot perform alchemy because he gave it up for Al's body. Al is in a relationship with Winry, and lives with her and Pinako in Risembool.
> 
> This info should come up slowly in the story, but parts of it are also illustrated in my other story Rewind (an in progress prequel to this story).

It was quiet.

Ed was trying to use stealth, so quiet was fine, but it seemed too quiet. He couldn't hear anything, not really. Well, except for the slight thump of his automail whenever he stepped with his left leg, but he was being as stealthy as a metal limb would allow. If Ed had learned one thing while chasing psychopathic alchemist in his youth, it was that the crazies were never this quiet. And if they were, then the bastards were up to something really bad.

He felt a chill run up his spine. Where was Al? It felt like Ed had run around most of the deserted building already, he should have met up with Al by now. Split up, search, scream if there's trouble (or just fight, because they were the Elric brothers and could surely take down one man even when separated), then meet up in time to storm the central room with Roy while acting like they hadn't disobeyed his orders and split up in the first place.

Ed turned down another hallway. He saw a flash of gold disappear at the other end, and clicked his tongue twice quickly against the roof of his mouth. Al's face peeked back into the hallway. Ed caught up, and the two headed towards the center of the building.

They paused just as they reached the door. Ed looked around, but there wasn't any sign that Roy was nearby. He glanced at Al. He couldn't help but remember a comment Greed made while they were trapped in Gluttony's stomach. Ed usually tried very hard  _not_  to remember almost being digested, but, looking at Al now, he had to wonder if there was any truth to the assumption that he and Al had Elric Brother Telepathy.

' _What do we do now, brother?'_  Al's face clearly said.

' _I don't know. Storm in anyway?'_

' _That'll go well. Do you_ want _the General to fry us?'_

' _Not particularly, but what are we supposed to do? Just wait here?'_

Al looked around before shrugging.  _'I don't know. This is why I asked_ you _.'_

Ed jerked his head in the opposite direction of where they came from.  _'We could go look for him.'_

' _Or we could wait here for more then two minutes before deviating from the plan, brother.'_

' _But what if Roy's hurt? Then he'd want us to go looking for him.'_

Alphonse looked skeptical.

' _We're the cavalry,'_ Ed's eyes argued.

Al arched his eyebrow.  _'I don't think he's hurt.'_

A loud bang rang out from the closed door next to them. It was followed by a muffled grunt.

A smug look.  _'See, I told you he needed help."_

Ed was expecting Al to look exasperated, but why was that look laced with incredulity?

Oh! Roy was in trouble!

Ed turned to the door, and with a swift kick of his metal leg, knocked it open.

The brothers stood at the end of a catwalk, underneath which, was a large transmutation circle, Roy Mustang, and a man, whom Ed assumed was the psycho that caused today's mission.

Ed ran onto the catwalk, all pretenses of stealth forgotten. He made it half way before the psycho pressed his hand to a circle etched onto the stairs near him. The electric current of the transmutation travelled up the stairs and encased the catwalk. The walkway lurched, then stilled. Ed, both arms spread for balance, made eye contact with Roy before the ground beneath his feet lurched again.

"Brother!" Al cried as he rushed forward and grabbed Ed's arm. The metal holding the walkway up snapped, and with a sickening groan, half of the catwalk hurled toward the ground.

Ed and Al each managed to grab onto the railing, but were now dangling from the rickety metal, each with one hand holding their precarious support and the other hand gripping each other.

Ed heard Roy shout his name before he felt the heat of fire at his back. The beams above him groaned again as the air pressure changed.

"Stop!" Ed shouted. The fire died. Ed looked at his brother, and knew that their faces both said the same thing:  _'Jump!'_

He tucked into a roll as he hit the ground, and saw Al do the same from the corner of his eye. The metal above them creaked and groaned, and Ed tried to cover Al with his body while at the same time rushing him out of the way as the catwalk started to fall.

"Ed!" He looked up to see Roy reaching out to pull them to safety. Before he could reach Roy though, metal crashed to the ground behind him, and following the reverberations through the floor was the blue glow of alchemy. Ed looked over his shoulder to see the psychotic alchemic asshole with his hands pressed to the transmutation circle on the ground. The same circle that Ed and Al had managed to land directly in the middle of.  _Shit._

Ed turned and reached towards Roy with one hand while shoving Al towards him with the other. Ed had no idea what this circle did, but there was no way it was good.

Before either brother could escape the circle, a brilliant white-blue light filled Ed's vision. He heard Al cry out just before he lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had the idea for this fic bouncing around in my head for a few months now, so I decided to finally write it. I don't really know where I'm going with it, so updates might not be too stable/reliable. If you like the plot idea and want to try writing a similar fic, or a spin off of this one, or something, feel free, but please let me know (like in a review or PM or something, idk) because I would love to read your version, and I would post about it in a chapter of this fic.
> 
> I would love help on this fic, so if you have ideas, feel free to suggest them. Or if you want to beta, I'd love that too. I've never had a beta, but I'm sure I'd appreciate having someone to proof read and bounce ideas back and forth with me. Or if you want to co-write this with me maybe we could work something out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is also archived on Fanfiction.net and LiveJournal under the same username.

Dark.

Darkness and pain.

Those were the first things Ed was aware of as he slowly regained consciousness.

He was lying on something hard. The floor? Ow, his head hurt. What happened?

"Brother?" he heard Al groan.

"Al?" The memories started coming back. Dinner with Al, Roy asking for help, an abandoned building, empty halls, holding onto metal with all of his might while Roy snapped at the alchemist beneath him, the crash of the catwalk falling, the rush of blue light, running to safety, not making it. "You okay?" he asked without opening his eyes. He flopped his arm in the direction of Al's voice, and heard a weird clang. Something felt off, but he couldn't figure out what.

"Yeah, I think so." Al's voice sounded different, but it was a familiar sort of different. "I don't know. Something's not right."

Ed furrowed his brow. "I know what you mean."

Ed heard a harsh sound come from where he thought Al was. A sort of clanging scratchy noise. Metal?

"Oh no."

Ed's eyes snapped open, and in one fluid move he sat up and turned to look at Al. Where his brother should have been sat a large suit of armor. A horrifyingly familiar suit of armor.

The armor was looking down at itself, studying its arms and legs as though it couldn't figure out what they were. And echoing from the armor was the stuttering voice of Alphonse. "My— my—"

"Your body!"

The armor's head snapped up at the sound of Ed's voice. "My body!"

Ed lunged across the room and physically climbed on top of Al to wrench the helmet off. Inside the armor was empty. "No. No, no, no," Ed murmured.

Ed reached in as far as he could, as if somewhere in the armor Al was hiding out of sight, as if he could reach out and  _feel_ him and that would make this okay. Because as his eyes focused on a seal drawn in his blood, he knew that this wasn't okay. Nothing about this was okay. After everything,  _everything_  they went through, Al, his baby brother, was a suit of armor again. Cold. Ed felt cold. And sick. This couldn't be happening. This wasn't real.

"How— How—?"

"Your arm."

"What? What about my—"

Al pulled Ed off of him, put his helmet back on and stared at Ed's right arm. "Brother…"

Ed looked too. Where his right arm should have been, an automail hand, wrist, and part of a metal forearm peeked out of a black jacket. It was his old automail arm. He flexed the fingers. It was exactly as he remembered it, and it was why he felt off. His torso was off balance again, and his right side was missing the sensations of  _feelings_ that having a  _real_  arm, with  _real_ nerve endings gave you.

His eyes traveled past the exposed metal hand to the too tight jacket he was wearing. It was his old black jacket that he wore in his teens, but it didn't fit nearly as well as he remembered. He pealed it off and stared at the automail arm underneath. He flexed the metal elbow. How was this happening?

He pulled at the black tank top with his flesh hand. It was too tight. Just like the jacket, just like the black pants that were showing off the bottom third of his mismatched calves.

"Eighteen," Al said.

"Huh?" Ed asked.

"You look kind of like you did when you were eighteen."

"But,  _how_?" This wasn't possible. Al was armor, and Ed was down a limb and four years? Ed looked around. He recognized this office. He knew that coffee machine, and the desks, and he may not have spent as much time here as he did in the office in Central, but Ed remembered the office in East.

"Brigadier General!" Al was looking at Roy Mustang and his subordinates. They were all staring back, looking confused, and concerned, and like they had lost even more years than Ed.

"That's not the General, Al," Ed said quietly. "It's the Colonel, can't you tell?"

Roy's eyes focused on Ed, and even though his masks were in place Ed could tell how confused he was, how uncertain.

"What? Brother?"

"The Time Alchemist, that was his name, remember?" Al jumped a little as Ed spoke. "We were in the array, and now we're in our old bodies." Ed glanced down at his ill-fitting clothes. "I think," he mumbled. "And we're back in Roy's old office in the East."

"Roy?" Havoc asked in a choked voice.

"Oh, sorry, would you rather I call him Colonel Bastard?" Ed snapped.

"Brother," Al sighed.

"I'm sorry!" Ed cried. "It's just—This isn't—Ugh!" He threw his arms up in frustration.

Roy cleared his throat, effectively gaining both Elrics' attention. "Would either of you mind explaining what just happened?"

"Mind? No. It's just—It's difficult." Ed frowned. "What did all of you see happen?" He ran his hands through his bangs only to discover that his hair had grown along with his body and was falling out of his braid. He took the tie out, and pulled his hair into his more usual high ponytail.

The Colonel gave him an odd look before speaking, "The two of you were leaving after giving your report. There was a flash of light similar to the charge of an array, and then you were on the ground. Is this how Elrics do growth spurts, Fullmetal? I can see why you've always tried so hard to avoid them."

Ed's face began to grow red, but just as he was swelling up for a rant, he suddenly looked down at himself, and then turned horrified eyes to Alphonse. "Eighteen?" He looked back down at himself. "I've shrunk!"

"Oh no," Al sighed.

Ed, having lost the will to support himself, crumpled against Al. "Do you know how long it took me to grow that much?"

"Yes, brother, I lived those years with you."

"Years, Al,  _years!_ " Ed ignored Al's exasperated comment. "Years wasted because now I've shrunk."

"Brother, I think we have bigger issues—"

Ed gave a loud, heart-wrenching cry.

"You know, some people might find it worse to be a suit of armor than to be short." Al said.

Ed stood up immediately. "You're right, lets get your body back, and then we can figure out what to do."

"We have to get your arm back first, brother."

"Yeah, yeah." Ed moved to get a pen, but then paused. "Do I have alchemy again?" He looked at Al. "Do you think?"

"Oh! Maybe you do. Try something!"

Ed sat down on the floor next to his jacket. He draped it over his legs, and with just a moment's hesitation, clapped his hands. As soon as his palms touch the jacket he felt the familiar rush of alchemical energy. It moved through him and slid through his hands into his clothes. Once the light from the charge died down, Ed was left sitting, jacketless, in pants that fit properly.

He smiled at Al, who jumped up and down and screamed, "You did it!"

He stood and picked up the familiar red coat that was slung over the back of a chair. A sigh, a clap, and he was left standing in a long sleeved, button up, red shirt and a black vest that fit much better than the tank top. He felt almost normal again; the excitement of regaining alchemy balancing out the hole left from his missing arm.

Ed instinctively turned to smile at Roy, and was met with the raised eyebrow of the Colonel. No, that wasn't quiet the reaction the General would have given.

"You still haven't explained what's going on, Fullmetal."

Ed gave a little laugh. "Fullmetal, no one has called me that in years."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It didn't come up as much as I expected, but in case you were wondering about numbers: I've made Roy's birthday in late Sept. 1885, and Ed's birthday Feb. 3rd 1899. This is going off of multiple timelines for Brotherhood that I've found online.
> 
>  
> 
> This chapter is from Roy's POV. He always refers to Ed by his title, so I tried to mimic that in his thoughts. It changes to Ed's first name a little at the end, which is intentional.

Colonel Roy Mustang surveyed his subordinates from his seat behind his desk. He had ushered them into seats after Fullmetal had transmuted his clothes. He still couldn't fathom the drastic change in the Elric brothers. Fullmetal, his pipsqueak of a teenaged subordinate, had grown to a decent height and bulked up faster than Roy could snap his fingers.

He had lost the childishness that was left in his 15 year old face, and the hair and clothes changes he seemed to make unconsciously made him look professional, adult. _18, did they say? He's only 10 years younger than me now._

Fullmetal was sitting next to his brother on the couch in front of Roy's desk. He was calmer now, which is what Roy had hoped would happen once he got them to sit down. Make him still and more permanently in the room, and the rush of adrenalin would die down, would make his still hyperactive self less likely to charge out, half-cocked, with some rash plan. Hawkeye was standing behind, and slightly to the side of, Roy, and his other subordinates were seated around the brothers.

Roy focused in on Fullmetal's eyes; their usual staring match ensued. Roy expected him to glare, to see the eye contact as a challenge, but after only a brief moment, Fullmetal sighed and looked down.  _Yet another difference._

"Like I said, it's hard to explain."

"Well, try," Roy said, deadpan.

"Sir," Alphonse piped up, "We're confused too." He looked at his brother. "We weren't planning this."

"You two obviously know more about the situation than any of us do. So try your best to explain." The brothers shared another glance. Roy continued, "We explained what happened from our perspective, perhaps you could return the favor."

Fullmetal nodded, "Equivalent exchange… yeah."

"We have to explain our theory a little first though, or none of this will make sense," Al said.

"True," Fullmetal said. "Hear us out though. We'll start with our hypothesis, then listen to our story without interrupting, and you can tell us that we're crazy or wrong afterwards if you want."

"Just start, Fullmetal."

He shared one last glance with his brother before he took a deep breath. "We're thinking time travel."

He stared at Roy anxiously. Fullmetal obviously thought Roy was going to react poorly—yell, laugh, mock—but more interestingly, Fullmetal was  _nervous_  about Roy's reaction.  _Since when does Fullmetal care about what I think?_  Roy thought. This, more than anything, is what made Roy stay quiet and limit his reaction to raising an eyebrow.

"This isn't 1921 anymore, right?" Al asked.

_What? 1921?_  Roy's eyes widened slightly.

"Guess not," Fullmetal said. "When is it now?"

Roy stayed quiet a moment longer. "1914."

Fullmetal let out a low whistle as Al turned to him. "That makes us what, brother, 14 and 15?"

"Depends on the month." He turned to Roy expectantly.

"It's summer."

The brothers turned towards each other, blocking out the rest of the office as they began whispering about missions Roy hadn't assigned them.  _Yet_  his mind supplied. _They're trying to remember the time line, place themselves in it, figure out what exactly summer, 1914 means._

_But the entire "hypothesis" was ridiculous. Time travel wasn't possible, right?_

Roy cleared his throat. "Continue."

Fullmetal, mirrored by Alphonse, turned back towards Roy. "Well, from our perspective it was just 1921." He hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "I guess our story starts at dinner, maybe just after. Al was visiting Central, so the three of us went out to eat."

"The three of you?" Havoc asked.

Fullmetal looked confused for a moment before recognition flared in his eyes. "Oh, Roy was with us."

The others turned to Roy, who just raised his eyebrow and stared at Fullmetal.  _How should he know what his supposed 'future self' did seven years from now?_

The silence started to become awkward, and Fullmetal, true to form, broke it with a defensive yell. "Seven years, bastard, we've figured out how to dine together without biting each other."

Alphonse snorted.

"Shut up, Al," Fullmetal yelled.

"And yet I'm still 'bastard'," Roy said.

"Shut up."

"It's still a close call sometimes, sir," Al said. "The last time I came for a visit, I wasn't sure brother was going to be able to restrain himself enough to keep his hands to himself for the whole dinner. Not that the General was much better."

"Shut up!" Fullmetal whined.

_Well, at least some things hadn't changed. Fullmetal was still easy enough to get riled up._

He kicked Al, which led to some intense looks and silent communication between the brothers.

"What do you mean that Al was visiting," Fuery asked. "Are you two separated in the future?"

"Brother teaches at the university in Central," Al said.

"And Al's shacked up with Winry in Risembool," Fullmetal interrupted.

"Brother!"

"They're getting married," Fullmetal said proudly. His smile was more genuine than Roy was used to. A lot about Fullmetal seemed less burdened.

"She hasn't said yes yet!"

"Only because you haven't stopped being a coward long enough to ask her."

"Miss Rockbell?" Hawkeye asked.

Al blushed. "Yeah, we've been dating for a few years now."

"Congratulations," Roy said.  _Interesting, Alphonse, and not Fullmetal, with Miss Rockbell._

"Hey, boss, I thought you were in love with your mechanic," Breda said.

"No! We're just friends!"

Al laughed. "Yeah, I think your boyfriend proves that Winry isn't your type."

"Al!"

"Oh… sorry."

"For what? Outing me in front of the entire office?"

"Boyfriend?" Fuery asked.

Fullmetal rolled his eyes to the ceiling with a frustrated huff. " _Anyway,_  at dinner, Roy told us about a case he was working on. Some ex-state alchemist went rouge and was starting shit. He asked us to help check out some warehouse." He turned to Roy, "For future reference, if some insane guy is messing with factoring time into his transmutations, don't give him funds and a title! And monitor his crazy ass better!"

Alphonse sighed, "He was the Time Alchemist, and while in the warehouse, brother and I got caught in one of his arrays."

"That's how we ended up here. He activated it, flash of light, then we're waking up here and everyone looks all young and confused."

"Do you remember what the array looked like?" Roy asked.

"Yeah," Ed said. "We'd have to write it out and study it though." He moved his hand to his chin, turning thoughtful. "I don't know anything about this type of Alchemy."

"Me either," Al said sounding as deep into his thoughts as his brother. "We'll need some books."

"Well, since I'm still a state alchemist in 1914, we can use the library." Fullmetal stood and nudged Al with his metal hand. "You want to get the books while I sketch the array?"

Al stood too. "Oh, I see. Make me do all the heavy lifting now that I'm a suit of armor again."

Fullmetal laughed. "Of course!" He took a step towards the door. "Meet up at Roy's?"

Roy stood and slammed his hands on his desk. "Wait a minute."

"Brother, we don't know where his house in the East was," Al said as he followed.

"The bastard showed me once." As the brothers left the room, Fullmetal's voice floated back to them, "Follow me. We'll stop by the library first, and then head over to the house."

"You can't just invite yourself over to my house, Fullmetal!"

His head peeked back around the doorframe. "Of course, I can," Fullmetal said with a huge grin. "See you at home, Roy!" He winked before disappearing again.

Roy dropped back in his chair and looked at his staff, whom all looked as dumbfounded as he felt.

* * *

At the end of the workday Havoc drove Roy home. Like usual.

Everything about that day was usual. Roy woke up sluggishly, aided by the snooze button multiple times, like usual. He drank his coffee with a hint of sugar, like usual.

Then, very  _unusually_ , his youngest subordinate took it upon himself to prove that time travel was possible.  _Damn brat._

So now, even though the incident was followed by the usual paperwork, and the usual car ride, Roy was not going to his usual relaxing evening at home. Because the Elric brothers were at his house.

Oh, hell. It was probably a disaster site already.

Did they break a window to get in? Transmute the lock? The whole door?

The horrifying image of his house covered in Fullmetal-esque skulls and gargoyles filled Roy's mind. He imagined the kid standing on the roof, laughing maniacally, long, red coat billowing in the wind as he transmuted etchings of flames onto the sides of the house.  _Actually the flames would look kind of cool,_ Roy thought.

"So, the boss grew up quick on us, eh Chief?" Havoc's voice broke Roy out of his musings.

_Hmm, that's right_ , Roy thought.  _Fullmetal's not a kid anymore, is he? 18? No, 1921, he'd be 22._  The idea of a 22-year-old Edward Elric, dressed as he was in Roy's office, didn't quite fit with the horror scene playing in Roy's head.

"Seems so."

"Their story, you believe it?"

"We'll have to see what they've been working on, but," Roy hesitated, glancing out the window. "It's Fullmetal, so anything is possible."

"Did you see him today though? Damn, the boss just looked so-"

"Different."

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a moment. The city rushed by in the window, and the smell of Havoc's cigarette smoke drifted throughout the car.

Havoc broke the silence with a laugh. "Out of the military, out of puberty, and out of the closet." Roy just raised an eyebrow. "So, Chief," Havoc continued, "Do you think his boyfriend is anyone we know?"

Roy shrugged. "Fullmetal meets a lot of people in his travels." Havoc nodded as they stopped in front of Roy's house. "Hmm, not quite the scene of destruction I was expecting," Roy murmured.

He stepped out of the car and closed the door with a final wave farewell to Havoc. The house in front of him looked exactly as he left it this morning. The walls were still white, clean, and lacking garish decorations. He examined the front door; the brown wood and metal lock showed no sign of transmutation, and the window next to it was still intact. There was no sign that a monster and his metal brother might lay inside. With a deep breath, Roy let himself in.

The entryway was as it should be, excluding the new addition of Fullmetal's boots placed neatly by the door.

Roy followed the sound of pages turning to the living room.  _Ahh, here's the disaster zone._

Fullmetal was sitting on the floor surrounded by books and papers. In a couple of places, multiple pieces of paper were transmuted together to form a surface wide enough for a large transmutation circle. One large array sat next to Fullmetal and had notes written randomly around the circumference. The other was crumpled against the wall, as if in a halfhearted attempt to discard it. As Roy walked forward, he saw lists written out, some of places, others of names, and more still of words that meant nothing to him.  _'_ Hughes' was written at the top of one of the lists closest to Fullmetal, and the name was underlined twice.  _Was that 'Hughes' referring to Maes?_

"You're going to clean all of this up," Roy said, making the blond look up from the book he was reading.

"Uh huh, sure."

_Well, that was more compliant than I was expecting,_  Roy thought. "I mean it, Fullmetal, I want my living room back in order by morning."

Fullmetal nodded. "Yeah, okay," he said before waving Roy over, "Come see what we've got so far."

Roy slowly moved and sat on the floor next to him. "Where's your brother?"

"We needed some newspapers, he'll be back soon."

Roy nodded. While Fullmetal was being agreeable he decided to ask, "How did you get into my house?"

Fullmetal smiled like he thought it was funny that Roy had to ask. "We used the spare key you keep hidden behind the plant on the side of the house." He chuckled before mumbling, "You're so predictable."

_Predictable?_  Roy had never been called predictable in his entire life. Roy studied Fullmetal as he turned to the large transmutation circle next to them.

"Okay," Fullmetal said, "This is the array from the warehouse. We think we've figured out how it works."

Roy turned to it too. The circle was full of spiraling curves that meant very little to Roy; he had never seen alchemy like this. "Good," he said, "So how do we send you back to the right time?"

"You believe us?" Ed asked as he looked up hopefully.

Roy was taken aback by the look in his eyes. "I can't think of another explanation for everything that's happened today. I assume your research on the array supports your theory."

"Yeah." Fullmetal said, and then he looked down, dejected. "We didn't just travel through time though. We've somehow  _merged_  with our past selves. We can't reverse the process anymore than we'd be able to separate a chimera into its original forms. If we tried, and the attempt didn't kill us, it'd still kill our younger selves. It would not only change the future, but also create a paradox."

"You're stuck here," Roy said flatly.

"Yeah," Fullmetal said. His eyes moved to the transmutation circle that was slumped against the wall. Roy studied it too. It looked different then the one next to them, more complicated. "We can't get Al's body back either."

Roy looked at him. His head was tilted down so that his bangs hid part of his face.

"Back when we were... Well, less than a year from now, I guess. Al was given a chance to get his body back, but he didn't take it. He was in the middle of a fight and knew he wouldn't be able to help in his flesh body."

"You're not in the middle of a fight now," Roy said when he paused.

"But there are things we need to do," Fullmetal burst out. He looked up at Roy with eyes full of determination, of fire. "When we got Al's body back it was so... so weak," he whispered desperately. "We can't... We can't save the world, we can't save  _anyone_ if Al's doing physical therapy and I lose my alchemy."

"Lose your-"

"It's what I gave up for Al. It's the secret to the gate, the right answer." He waved his hand as if to wave off Roy's confused look. "Al gave up his armor body for my arm, I gave up my alchemy for him. All of him, body and soul."

Roy looked at him.  _Really_  looked at Edward Elric, the boy, no  _man,_ whotalked about giving up his alchemy, the center of his life, as if it was easy.  _No, that's not it. Al's his center, the choice wasn't easy, it was obvious_.

"We're stuck here, and if we have to do it over, we're going to do it right. And for that we'll need these bodies for a little while longer."

He turned back, and as Roy looked in his eyes he saw the fire sparking again. This Ed was so much different then the Fullmetal he knew, but at the same time, so similar.

"You're being very open today," Roy said.

Something flickered in Ed's eyes, but Roy couldn't tell what. "Guess I am," he said as he looked up to the ceiling. He let out a sigh, and settled more comfortably with a self-depreciating smile.  _Strange_.

The front door opened and Al walked in carrying newspapers, a couple of shopping bags, and a suitcase. "Sir, you're home," he said as he put his load down, "Hello."

"Hello, Alphonse. Fullmetal, is that your suitcase?"

"Yeah," Ed said as Al sat next to him. "The guards at the dorms would notice if I had a growth spurt overnight that aged me three years, don't you think?"

"So you just invited yourself to stay at my house?"

"You have a spare bedroom, so what's it matter?" he said petulantly.

Roy sighed, and tried his best to calm down and suppress the twitch in his eye. "Social niceties dictate that you ask first, or better yet,  _wait to be invited_ , before deciding to stay in someone's home."

"Since when have I ever followed social niceties?" Fullmetal said with a half laugh and a smirk.

Alphonse sat down next to his brother, and said, "We're sorry, sir. We can find somewhere else to stay if this isn't convenient."

Roy never understood how the boy managed to convey so much emotion through a suit of expressionless armor, but that didn't stop him from picturing a kicked puppy as Alphonse talked. Another sigh. "It's fine, Alphonse, I do have a spare room, so it really isn't a problem."

"Great," Fullmetal said, "Now that that's settled." He drifted off as he took the newspaper from Al and began to look through it. He pointed at a headline about Isaac McDougal. "We've stopped the Freezing Alchemist already then? Have we been to Lior?"

"Lior?" Roy asked.

Ed nodded. "Yeah, that was our next assignment. Okay, well that helps us narrow down the timeline. We'll have to read through this," he paused to shake the newspaper, "To get back up to date with current events though."

"We weren't very focused on current events that didn't have to do with the stone last time, Brother."

Ed laughed. "That's true. I guess that will help us cover up any mistakes we make."

Al turned to Roy. "Is Lt. Colonel Hughes in East City yet?" He turned back to Ed and said, "He came here looking for Scar around now, right?"

Ed shook his head no. "That was after Lior. Around the same time as Nina…" he trailed off, and his face turned sad again.

"Nina?" Roy asked. "Scar?"

"Nina Tucker. She was a little girl that we were powerless to save last time. We can this time though," Ed said, determined. "And Scar is a serial killer that targets state alchemists."

Roy's eyes widened.

"The Lt. Colonel was in charge of the investigation," Al said. "I don't think they ever managed to find him though, not really."

"How did you know he was in East City then?" Roy asked.

"Well he almost killed us," Fullmetal said. "You too."

"That fight can't end the same way this time, brother," Al said, and Roy could hear the dangerous edge to his tone.

Fullmetal shuttered. "Alright, fine. I remember your punch from the first time."

Roy raised an eyebrow and asked, "What happened?"

"Brother tried to get killed."

"I did no- okay, actually I did, but I was trying to save your life," Fullmetal said indignantly.

"You were trying to be an idiot!"

"Anyway-"

"Anyway, this time you will help Hughes with his investigation and trap a murderer seeing as you know where he will be," Roy interrupted.

"But we need Scar out of Jail," Fullmetal said.  _Was he insane?_ Roy wondered. "He helped us later."

"You just said that he almost killed you."

"Well yeah,  _that_  time, but he helped us eventually. He only tried to kill us a few times really."

"You really have gone insane," Roy muttered.

Fullmetal shook his head. "No, no, listen… Actually, we can't tell you yet. We have to figure out what to change, and how much we can tell you without it changing too much."

"You'll tell me everything, and I can plan from there."

"Please, General- I mean Colonel, let us get oriented and organized before you ask us to try remembering everything about the last seven years," Al pleaded.

Roy could understand that. Of course they would want to discuss everything alone before including the military, it was how the Elrics always worked, but he hated it. A large part of his mind was growling in curiosity, ready to attack them with questions about his future and the country's future. They mentioned saving the world, but from what? Was he still on track for fuhrer in seven years?

But pressuring them for answers wouldn't work. More likely, it would cause them to leave, and then there would be fewer chances for them to slip and reveal something about the future.

He'd give them the night, but tomorrow he'd work on getting some answers.

Roy stood. "Fine," he said, "I'll go make dinner. I assume you're hungry." He looked at Fullmetal, who looked surprised.

"Um, yeah. Yes, actually. Uh thanks."

Roy nodded, and left the room.

* * *

Later that evening, Roy sat in his bedroom listening to the ringing come through the phone line. The Elrics were still working in the living room on timelines and plans that Roy was excluded from.

"Hello," a voice said through the phone.

"Hey, Hughes."

"Roy boy! What brings on this late night call? Did you want to ask about Elicia's play date today? She did so well! She is so popular, but of course she is because she is the most beautiful, perfect little girl-"

"Hughes!"

"And Gracia-"

"Hughes!"

"Sorry, did you say something, Roy?"

Roy sighed. He couldn't hang up the phone yet; he needed to talk to his best friend. "Is there any way you can move up your trip to East City?"

"I'm making a trip to East?"

"The furher is going to assign you here to chase a criminal known as Scar."

"He already has." Hughes's voice turned serious. "How do you know that though?"

Roy smirked. "I have my sources."

" _I'm_  your sources."

"Well, I just got a couple of new ones. In fact, I'd like you to meet them."

There was a pause. "Alright. I think I can convince the higher ups that I should go on ahead of the task force. It'd be easier for me to get information and track Scar on my own, and I'm not a freak like you alchemists so I shouldn't be in danger or even attract his attention, blah blah blah."

"I'll see you soon then."

"Within the next few days," Hughes said. Another pause, then, "So, is this new informant wife material? Because you should really settle-"

Roy slammed the phone into its cradle. "None of your damn business," he muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I made any mistakes in characterization, plot, or really anything (spelling, grammar, confusing description, not enough or too many pronouns, etc.) please let me know. I've never written in this fandom so I'd love feedback telling me how I'm doing. Or if you don't think I'm doing your favorite character justice and want to write to me and let me know all about them, and why they're amazing, and how I could capture them better, then please feel free :)


	4. Chapter 4

Click. Click. Click.

Ed tapped his pen against the table in front of Roy's couch. After a few more taps, Ed clenched his fist around the pen before tossing it onto a stack of paper covered in messy notes.

He pulled himself from his seat and wandered over to the large array lying by the wall. He paced around it as he studied it.

 _The Time Array_  is what he called it in his mind. The cause of all of their problems. And they didn't even completely understand it.

_But they knew enough._

Maybe they didn't know enough to modify it, or even activate it and have the same results instead of a rebound—that would take years of study—but they knew enough about the deceptively elegant swirls that were their damnation. The first thing, the very first thing, that they researched when they got to Roy's was if this could be reversed. Hours of studying the twists and smooth turns in the array led them to only one possible translation: they were stuck.

Al had double-checked. They both had triple-checked. Ed had checked one more time while Al was out getting newspapers. And more clothes. He had gotten Ed's suitcase and bought him new clothes because Al knew, had accepted, that they were stuck. Of course Ed would need more clothes and supplies. Because they were stuck.

Stuck.

Here.

Without Roy.  _Ed's Roy_. Where Al was still in a suit of armor, and homunculi were alive, and Roy was a Colonel, and the Promised Day was still looming overhead, and Roy didn't remember because it never happened, and Al couldn't sleep, and Father was still alive, and Roy…

…wasn't there. Wasn't the General, and wasn't  _his_.

Ed clenched his eyes closed. He tried to comfort himself with the knowledge that Roy wasn't suffering without him too. That was the second thing they had researched. Was this a new reality, or literal time travel? Was their future still there, or was everything changed now?

They studied the transmutation circle, they considered their new bodies, and they philosophized. They eventually came to the conclusion that they had irreparably changed the future. Even if they studied for years, until they knew more about the time factor in alchemy than that bastard that sent them there, and they found a way back to the future, then they would not exist from the time between them activating the array and where they appeared in the future. Their future was gone.

Gone. Along with years of research, a saved Amestris, and the General. In its place was the Colonel, danger, and an empty suit of armor.

Ed opened his eyes with a sigh. He turned to look at the spot on the floor where Al was working, but found Al's eyes watching him.

"Are you going to tell him?" Al asked.

"Nah," Ed said. He walked over and sat back down on the couch. He tilted his head back so that he could stare at the ceiling, not quiet ready to meet Al's eyes yet.

"Why not?"

"What would it help? If he didn't freak out at the idea, and I don't know, assign me a mission to get me on the other side of the country or something, then he would feel pressured to be in a relationship with me." They were alone now. Roy went to bed over an hour ago, so they were finally able to speak freely. "It all just happened so organically before. We didn't push it, we didn't plan for it, but it happened. Now…"

"Now it feels like you'd be forcing him into it, and ruining everything," Al said.

Ed dropped his head back down just in time to see Al turn away. "Winry?"

Al nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm sure you guys will get back together easily though. She liked you for years before you got together."

"I'm sure you can make it work with the Colonel too, brother."

"Hmm," Ed said as he turned to look at the fireplace. It seemed that Roy always had a fireplace somewhere in his house. The damn pyromaniac.

"I think you should tell him." Ed's head whipped back to Al, who continued speaking, "He has a right to know. I think he'll handle it well, and you should at least give him the chance, brother."

"No, I-"

"You already told the office about Winry. Now she's going to find out eventually, so it's only fair that Roy know too." Al's voice was whiney; Ed imagined he'd be pouting if he were still flesh.

"What? No!"

"Equivalent exchange."

"That's not equivalent at all! I've already got enough odds stacked against me. I don't need you to add more, you traitor."

"Well at least the age difference works more in your favor this time!"

Ed froze, eyes widening. He hadn't really thought about it, but of course… Winry was a _teenager_  now. She was what, 15? And Al was 21, in mind at least, but who knew how old he would be when he got his body back this time.

Ed burst out laughing.

"This isn't funny," Al said. He crossed his arms.  _Hmm, so he could even manage to pout as armor_ , the thought just made Ed laugh harder.

"Wait for it… years worth… of revenge," Ed said between laughs. He calmed down enough to flash his brother an evil smile. "All those pedophile jokes about Roy and me, you just wait, little brother."

Al dropped his head into his hands with a groan. "This isn't fair," he said.

"Oh, yes it is," Ed said. His eyes unfocused as he continued, "And I get young Roy. Mmmmm."

"Ughh!" Al screamed as he looked up. "Stop that! Whenever you get that look it means you're thinking things that I don't want to know about."

Ed started laughing again.

"I still think you should tell him," Al said.

Ed sighed and shook his head. "He's not even my Roy, Al. Not really. Not yet." Ed looked down at his hands for a moment before suddenly sitting up straight. "Speaking of what to tell, and what not to tell, we need to be more careful. We can't keep letting things slip like we did today."

"What do you mean?" Al asked.

"Well, we can't just tell them everything about the future. We'll need to decide what's safe for them to know. We need their help, because let's face it, we can't save the country all on our own, but we can get help from them while keeping them on a need to know basis."

"Isn't that like what Roy used to do to you when you worked for him? You hated it. Wouldn't it be better to tell them everything, and them help us plan? Even as young as he is now, Roy is much better at this sort of thing than us. Breda probably is too for that matter."

Ed waved off Al's concerns. "We can handle this on our own, Al. We already survived the Promised Day once, we can do it again." They could, right? They could handle this by themselves?

"Brother, Roy made you promise that you'd go to him whenever you had a problem. This counts. This is the exact sort of thing he meant."

"But he isn't here to go to!"

It was quiet for a moment. Al stared at Ed, who wouldn't meet his gaze again, before saying, "He'd agree that you should go to his younger self. He'd want to help you in any way he could, even if it's just as your CO." Ed remained facing the fire, so Al continued, "You were friends before you started dating. You went to him for help and advice then too. You can be that again."

Silence returned as Ed looked down. "So we know that us going to Lior and exposing the priest leads to an uprising." Ed looked up. "Maybe Roy can send a state alchemist and a group or trusted soldiers to check it out. Maybe if we get soldiers that aren't so loyal to Bradley it'll help things."

"How are you going to explain that we can't trust the Fuhrer without explaining that he's a homunculus?" Al asked.

"And we have to figure out what to do about Greed and Ling." Ed said, ignoring Al. "Maybe us staying away will be enough to save Greed. I'm sure that will help Dr. Marcoh. But we need Greed's help so maybe we can send Ling, but we'll have to make sure Ling really understands what it's like to become a homunculus in case something happens. He should have informed consent this time if he decides to do it again. But how will we get him to help us? He doesn't even know us yet."

"Can't you see it would just be better—"

"And saving Greed will help to save Martel," Ed said, speaking fast. "And I need Winry to fix my automail. The leg is fine, but my old arm isn't as long as the new one so she'll need to extend it. Maybe she can visit us instead of us going to Risembool. Then we can bring her to Rush Valley and introduce her to Pininya, so they can be friends again. But then we'll be too early for Ling, but maybe if we visit Winry when we know he'll be—"

"Brother!" Ed finally stopped talking, so Al continued, "We have to tell them." They sat in silence, just watching each other.

Ed shook his no. Before Al could argue more, Ed said in a harsh whisper, "That's how Hughes died!" He glanced at the stairs that led upstairs to the bedrooms before his eyes settled on Al.

"What?" Al whispered back.

"He knew too much. We got Hughes killed because he knew too much. I can't do that to-I can't lose anyone else that would have been saved if we just kept out mouths shut."

"But we know the threats this time. We can-"

"Stop." Ed sighed. He looked at the stairs again. "Can we just focus on what needs to be changed for right now?" He turned back to Al, stared him in the eyes, letting the maelstrom of emotion he was feeling show. "Please?"

Alphonse studied him for a long time before wilting. "Nina died not long after Lior, so we should focus on her after we have that solved," Al said.

"Of course," Ed said, giving his brother a grateful smile. "Maybe even at the same time if Lior takes too long. Nina is more time sensitive."

The brothers huddled closer together and started making yet another list.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed my username! I hope it didn't confuse anyone! LilShorty7923 - StillNotGinger10
> 
> As they say, slow and steady wins the race. You have no idea how long I've been slowly chipping away at this chapter, finishing it line by line, and IT IS FINALLY DONE! I'm so excited to finally be able to post this, and for all of you to finally be able to read it. Thank you for your continued reviews and support. And a special thanks to Sheehan_sidhe on AO3 for talking things out with me :)
> 
> The reason this chapter took so long was because real life got in the way - graduating from college, moving, family drama, researching grad schools, new job, etc. etc. I should be updating sooner (hopefully), but the next couple of chapters I post will probably be for Rewind. I will keep working on the next chapter for Redo though. Rewind chapters just take less time to write.
> 
> To make up for the long wait, this chapter is the longest yet for either story! I hope you like it!

Ed woke up to the warm comfort of sunlight on his skin, and when he opened his eyes he saw the relaxed, beautiful face of a smiling, bed rumpled Roy Mustang. It was a perfect sight, and his favorite one to wake up to.

"Why are you just staring at me, bastard? You're so weird," Ed grumbled, but he smiled as he lay on his side and stared back at Roy.

Roy's smile grew. "I like staring at you," he said. He lifted his hand and traced the outline of Ed's face with the back of his fingers, keeping his hand centimeters from Ed's skin, careful not to touch, and when Ed turned his head to get closer, Roy pulled away.

Ed frowned as Roy smiled. Then he rolled his eyes and inched a little closer to Roy on the bed. "I had the weirdest dream," he said. "Al and I were sent to the past, and you were a grumpy bastard of a colonel." He smirked up at Roy, but then his expression faltered, falling back into a frown. "You couldn't remember anything," he said while looking into Roy's eyes. "We had to do it all over again and I was alone. I mean, I had Al but I—" He cut off, clenched his eyes closed, and turned his face slightly into the pillow.

"Well, I'm here now," Roy said. Ed smiled but didn't open his eyes; he just let his face relax. "So how about I make it up to you in the shower?" Roy asked in a low voice.

"Pervert," Ed said with a laugh.

"And then we'll go downstairs and have coffee," Roy continued. "And then I'll let you give me a massage so that you can reassure yourself I'm here by rubbing your hands all over me."

Ed laughed again. "Really, you'd  _let_  me do that? You're too kind, bastard." Eyes still closed, Ed reached over to Roy's side of the bed, whispering, "I missed this." But when his hand reached the covers, they were cold and empty.

Ed's eyes snapped open only to be met with the unfamiliar guest room of Roy's house in East. There was no king-sized bed to share, no clothes or books around the room to show that it was his, no chessboard or gloves mixed among his mess to show it was _theirs_. It was just an empty room, with two full beds and a picture hung on the wall to pretend it was homey. It had all been a dream. He wasn't back, he was still stuck in this room where the sun shown less brightly than in his dreams and there was no Roy to help warm the bed.

Ed stood up and stretched with a yawn. As he left the room, he waved to where Al was reading on the side of the room farthest from the beds.

* * *

_Pants? Check._

_Shirt? Check._

_Gloves? Check._

_Jacket? Downstairs._

_Hair?_

Roy ran his hand through his hair. He glanced in the mirror as it the strands fell into place.

_Looks good._

_Coffee? Yes. Need. Right now… Downstairs._

Roy groaned as he left the bathroom and began the long trek all the way to the kitchen, where he would then have to wait for the coffee to brew before he could finally drink it. He groaned again as he dragged his feet off the last step.

As he turned down the short hallway to the kitchen he inhaled the most welcome, heavenly aroma that had ever graced his house. The Coffee Gods must have blessed his house so that coffee appeared just because he thought of it. Finally! He'd been praying for this to happen every morning for as long as he could remember, and his prayers were finally fruitful.

Roy stumbled into the kitchen, and gratefully accepted the cup held out for him by a metal hand. He closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of freshly brewed coffee that took no effort on his part. He thought another thank you to the Coffee Gods before gulping a quarter of the mug.  _Perfection._

He breathed in the warm air again, appreciating the perfect temperature and the perfect taste, it was just what he needed. Roy opened his eyes to see Ed staring at him, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly in amusement and his own mug of coffee in hand. Either the Coffee Gods worked in mysterious ways or Roy was sending his thanks to the wrong place.

"Thank you," he said while looking Ed in the eye.

Ed nodded and raised his mug in small toast before taking a sip.

"Where's Alphonse?"

"Still reading in the guest room. He can't really do coffee with… you know," Ed said while staring down into his drink.

"Hmm." Roy nodded before taking another sip. Roy imagined he could see the weight of the world settle onto Ed's shoulders. It draped around his neck and down his back, molding seamlessly into his every curve. The burden somehow both pulling him down, yet also forcing his back to straighten with the determination of one used to the weight.

Roy's eyebrows scrunched together as he stared into the half filled depths of his mug. He watched the liquid inside tilt as he turned his hand back and forth. "This isn't poisoned, is it?" he asked.

Ed's head jerked up. "What? No, of course not, bastard."

Roy shrugged. "Never know with you."

"I did something nice for you and this is the thanks I get?"

"Well I am letting you stay here rent free. Some would say making me coffee in the morning is the least you could do."

"Oh not this again. Don't get used to it, bastard, I'm not making you coffee every morning."

"Maybe you should," Roy said with a smirk.

Ed scoffed. "Yeah right,"

Roy drank more as he watched Ed fighting a smile as he looked away. "So," Roy said, "You didn't wake up this early just to make me coffee in a show of appreciation for my selfless hospitality?" He paused as Ed rolled his eyes. "Why then, are you up so early, Fullmetal?"

"Habit, I guess," Ed said with a shrug.

"Hmm."

They both went back to drinking their coffee before Ed broke the silence once more.

"Ed."

"What?" Roy asked.

"Umm, you should call me Ed. I mean, I'm not really used to Fullmetal anymore, so it'd be easier, you know?"

 _Is he blushing?_  Roy wondered as he failed to catch Ed's eye. "Wouldn't it make more sense for you to get back in the habit of answering to your title?" Roy asked.

"You're the only one who ever used it really," Ed said before the red in his cheeks increased. He shrugged before saying, "It's fine though; you can call me Fullmetal. Other people did on occasion, so I guess I should get used to it." Ed brought his mug back up to his lips.

"So,  _Ed_ , I suppose you're going to continue to call me Roy rather than colonel."

Ed shot him a grateful look over his mug. "Seems like it," he said before taking a sip.

A glance at the clock told Roy it was time to go, so he drank the last of his coffee in one more gulp before walking over next to Ed, placing his cup in the sink and filling it with water.

"Thank you again for the coffee, Edward," he said. Ed shivered. Did he really expect so little gratitude from Roy that he had to jump from a simple thank you?

Roy shook his head as he left the kitchen. He slipped on his jacket and boots before walking out the door and to Havoc's car.

"So, anything new?" Havoc asked as they pulled away.

"They've decided to stay rather close lipped."

Havoc snorted around his cigarette. "Sounds like them."

"Hmm." Roy turned to look out the window. "They're stuck here." He felt the second lieutenant's glace, but stayed silent as the gaze returned to the road. "They've fused with their past selves. We can't get our Elrics back, and they can't go home to their future."

It was quiet as they drove past one block, then another. "They're still our Elrics though, right Chief?"

"Yes. We may need to remind them of that," Roy said as he watched the pavement speed under the front of the car.

"They don't trust us."

"They haven't decided yet," Roy said with a smirk, "I suppose we'll just have to make sure they reach the right decision."

Roy would make sure they did. It was his future too, all of Amestris' future, and he deserved to have a say in it. Whether the boys were old enough now to handle the responsibility didn't matter. They didn't have to, and they didn't have the right to decide for all of them. Roy and his team were here to help, just like they had always been, and the Elrics were going to see that this time.

"Did they get Al his body back then?" Havoc asked as Eastern Command came into view.

"No. Ed said they had things to do while Al was still in the armor."

Havoc gave a low whistle. He rolled down the window and flicked his cigarette out onto the pavement before pulling up to the guard stationed outside of headquarters. After giving their credentials, he closed the window and drove toward the parking lot. "What could be more important than fixing Al? The boss has had tunnel vision for his brother for as long as I've known him," he said.

"What indeed," Roy said as they parked. They got out of the car and walked to the office.

Roy's desk was covered with the usual morning paperwork. He sat down, and flipped through a few pages.  _Boring, boring, boring._  The usual. He sighed and sat back in his chair. He looked over his desk and saw Hawkeye watching him. He quirked his lips in a small, weary smile before making a show of picking up his pen and starting his paper work.

He read and signed until he felt free of scrutinizing eyes, then with a quick glance to confirm he wasn't being watched, he pulled out a blank sheet of paper.

He wrote:

_Got bodies back_

-  _Edward's arm at least - leg still metal_

_Ed gave up alchemy_

_Alphonse's human body will be weak_

_1921_

-  _Age: 22 and 21_

_Stuck here - fused with past selves_

-  _Fullmetal appears 18_

-  _Alphonse is armor_

_Brothers' bond as strong as ever_

_I'm a Brigadier General_

_I'm stationed in Central_

_Fullmetal actually grew_

_Stopped dressing like a punk_

_Learned respect – maybe, a little?_

RING! RING!

Without looking away from the paper, or letting go of his pen, Roy answered the phone on his desk. "Mustang."

"Roy, how's it going?" Hughes' enthusiastic voice called into his ear.

"I'm working, Hughes."

"Really? I'm riding a train."

Roy looked up. "You're on your way already?"

"Left early this morning. Everyone on the train is so busy; they don't have time to look at any of my pictures of my beautiful wife and daughter. Poor souls."

"Hughes."

"So I decided to sneak into the communications car and give you a call. I know you always have time for stories of my little Elicia."

Roy sighed and put his head in his hand. "When are you scheduled to arrive?"

"Six tonight. You're going to pick me up, right?"

Roy smirked, and looked back down at his list. "Of course. You'll have to share my guest room, but I don't think you'll mind."

"Ohh, the new source is staying with you then?"

Roy doodled a smiling face next to the note about him being a brigadier general. "Yeah. I can't wait for you to meet."

"But you still won't tell me about them?"

"I'll tell you on the car ride over."

"You're no fun."

Roy laughed. "I think tonight will be a lot of fun actually."

"Aren't I supposed to be the one of us that knows all of the information?"

"I'll see you tonight, Hughes."

"Wait, but, Roy, I didn't get to tell you about Elicia's-!"

Roy hung up the phone, and turned back to his list and wrote.

_No longer part of the army_

_They helped with assignments even after quitting_

_Cares what I think? What the hell?_

_Edward teaches at a University in Central_

_Alphonse is in a serious relationship with Winry Rockbell_

-  _They live in Risembool_

_Fullmetal has a boyfriend_

-  _Alphonse feels comfortable talking about it with the office_

-  _Not a secret or they just feel that comfortable with us?_

_This was all caused by the "Time Alchemist"_

-  _Researching factoring time into transmutations_

_Showed Edward my house in East once_

-  _He remembered where it was_

_They feel comfortable enough to invite themselves over – Fullmetal more so?_

_Knows where I keep my key_

_Knows how I like my coffee_

_Will be sent to Lior soon – why?_

_Hughes_ _?_

_Have to save the world?_

_Nina Tucker_

_Scar_

He looked up at the sound of a throat clearing to find Hawkeye in front of his desk. He gave her a sheepish smile as she held out more paperwork to him.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Sir." She watched him until he started reading, then she walked away.

Roy spent the rest of the day doing his paperwork and researching clues given to him by the Elrics. By the time he had to leave to get Maes, he was able to cross off the 'why?' he had written next to Lior on his list and convince his staff that there was no need to worry about him taking a car from the motor pool. He was a perfectly good driver; they had no idea what they were talking about.

* * *

"Roy!" Maes called across the train station platform. Roy gave a slight wave of his hand from where he was leaning against a pillar.

"How was your trip?" he asked once Maes was near him.

"Boring," Hughes said as they began walking to the car. "I miss my beautiful Gracia and Elicia already."

Roy sighed as he slid into the car. Hughes followed suit and they drove off.

After they pulled out and had driven past a few streets, Hughes said, "But enough of my gushing. You have your own secret source to gush about."

"Actually, it's two sources. The Elric brothers."

"The Elrics? How did they know about my investigation?"

Roy shook his head. How was he supposed to explain this? "This is going to be a little difficult to believe, so you'll have to trust me that the facts work out." Roy chuckled before saying incredulously, "They've managed to time travel, Hughes."

Roy kept his eyes on the road during the silence that followed. He concentrated on turning left, and switching lanes, and not looking at Hughes. Roy wasn't going to speak until his friend got his doubt out of his system, then he would convince him. It was always more productive to address someone else's concerns than to argue against yourself before anyone even questioned you.

"But that's..." Hughes voice trailed off. In his peripheral vision, Roy saw his clean his glasses as he continued, "Well, I guess those boys do excel in the impossible, don't they?"

Roy looked over to see his friend smiling. "You believe me?"

"Well, I don't see why you'd lie. Besides, what do I know about you freaks and your alchemy? Transmutations are impossible without a circle, souls can only exist in flesh and bone bodies, the State Alchemists test is too difficult for a 12-year-old to pass." Hughes shrugged. "I think none of you really know anything either and just like to make up rules, and the Elrics exist for the sole purpose of calling you on it."

Roy's eye twitched. "The State Exam  _is_  difficult, Fullmetal is just abnormal." He had to slam on the break to make a red light.

"Uh huh, prodigy,  _right_." Roy glared at Hughes, who winked. "Anyway," Hughes continued, "they've figured out the secret to time travel now? How many historical moments have they been to and blown up yet?"

Roy smirked. If the Elrics really had created reliable time travel, he could just imagine them trying to visit Xerses and being the reason it was destroyed. "They're not the ones who discovered it actually," he said as the light turned green and he pressed on the gas. "An alchemist in the future did, and the Elrics got caught in one of his arrays."

"An accident? That actually sounds more like them," Hughes said while rubbing his chin. "So they're from the future?"

"1921."

"What do you know so far?" Hughes asked, voice serious.

Roy slid his list out of his inside jacket pocket, and handed it over without taking his eyes off of the road. Hughes immediately started reading.

"Congratulations on the future promotion."

Roy smirked. "Thank you."

"How long have they been here?"

"Since yesterday," Roy said as he remembered that he needed to turn left soon and switched lanes.

"So they're still working on getting Al's body back?"

Roy hesitantly took what he was fairly certain was a legal left turn. "No, they say there's something they need to do first."

"Save the world?" Hughes asked while pointing to the paper.

"Ed mentioned it. They won't give me more details though," Roy grumbled. With Maes here they should be able to get answers more easily.

"Why is my name on here? And underlined too."

"It was on their list, so I thought it should be on mine as well."

Maes raised an eyebrow. "They have a list?"

Roy nodded. "They underlined your name three times, but I thought once was sufficient. I hope you aren't offended."

"Well, aren't I popular?" he said while reading some more. "Lior?"

"There's a priest there that I would normally send them to investigate—rumors of miracles, bringing the dead back to life, that sort of thing. It would have been their next mission."

Maes nodded. "I take it 'Scar' is that they knew about my investigation?"

"Mostly, but I also want to hear more about him."

"He's been targeting State Alchemist. He's already killed quiet a few and we have no idea how." He gave Roy a serious look. "So watch yourself."

Roy raised his eyebrow, and positioned his gloved fingers to snap while smirking at Hughes.

"You haven't seen what he can do, Roy. He's stopped alchemists just as capable as you. I'll show you his file tonight, but please take him seriously."

"You're really having trouble with him aren't you?" Roy asked with a frown. It wasn't like Hughes to get this worked up over a case; he was the best in investigations.

Maes sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We don't know why he's murdering, how he's doing it, or where he'll strike next."

"The boys might know something if you can get them to talk."

"Oh, I will." A flash a light shined off of his glasses. "Nina Tucker?" he continued after a pause.

"Someone Ed mentioned. She's also on their list. I researched her earlier, but I still don't know her significance. Young girl, daughter of the Sewing Life Alchemist, lost her mother almost two years ago, no exceptional grades or accomplishments in school—she's just average."

"Maybe the boys can identify with her? Or maybe she becomes important when she gets older?" Maes asked, and Roy shrugged. "It looks like you and Ed get closer—knows where you live, where your key is, how you take your coffee."

"It was so weird, Maes! He made me coffee this morning—it was perfect—he discussed everything calmly with me last night, he was  _nice."_

Maes laughed. "He's a nice kid."

"Not to me! He's a brat and a menace. He's a good kid, but not  _nice_. At least, not until yesterday. He's not even a kid anymore. Wait until you see him. He actually grew Maes—the pipsqueak shot up right in front of me."

"And now he's dressing nice, being respectful—'maybe, a little'—and 'cares what you think'. He's grown up, huh? And he's gay? That's an interesting twist. He was already smart, but now he's matured, and I'm sure he's good looking-"

"What are you getting at?" Roy asked with a frown.

"Just that maybe you're noticing these changes in Ed because he's significantly closer to your age now, and he's confirmed that he also likes men."

"He's  _Fullmetal_ ," Roy said incredulously. Then he had to swerve back into his lane from where he'd let the car drift.

Hughes took a deep breath and slowly released it as he loosened his white knuckle grip on the door handle, then he said, "And he's the first potential date you've seen since you came out of the closet."

"You may have missed the part where he has a boyfriend."

"Since when has Roy Mustang ever had a problem stealing another man's date?" Hughes asked with a smirk. Roy opened his mouth to answer, but Hughes continued, "And then you don't even date the girl. At least you would get something out of it if you stole Ed. He's technically single now, right?"

"Hughes-"

"I've had to watch you be alone since we were teenagers, Roy." Hughes sighed. "At least you could talk to Ed about it. Find out if maybe things are different in the future." Roy slowed the car down as he pulled onto his street. "Do you know who the boyfriend is?" Hughes asked when Roy didn't say anything.

"He hasn't said. Now come on," Roy said as he parked the car and got out.

They walked into the house only to be greeted by the cacophony of arguing Elrics.

"-use their help!"

"No!"

"They have a right to know!"

"No! We've had this argue-"

"We didn't reach a decision and you know it, brother! We aren't keeping secrets just because you said so!"

"Then how about because to do otherwise would be dangerous! How about we don't risk our friends' lives!"

Roy looked at Maes, who wore a look full of curiosity and surprise that Roy was sure matched his own.

"They're in danger either way! They should know what they're up against, what they need to defend themselves fr-"

"No, Al!"

"Yes,  _brother_!"

"I said 'no'!"

"Well I said 'yes'!"

"Damn it, Al!"

"We should tell them!"

"No!"

Meas dropped his suitcase to the floor with a soft thud, and walked into the room with a smile on his face. He said, "Roy, I thought you said they were older. This sounds like the sort of arguments I hear Elicia have with her friends."

Roy followed him into the room to see both Elrics staring at Hughes with wide eyes. They looked completely frozen, as though they had both stopped moving entirely as soon as they saw Maes. Edward must have had his back to the door because he was now standing awkwardly, half twisted with his head turned toward them. Was he even breathing?

 _They must be trying to remember what they said,_ Roy thought _. They look so pained because they think we might have overheard something important._

But Roy's train of thought derailed as Alphonse, big, intimidating, suit of armor Alphonse, cried out—because how else could you describe a voice, even a disembodied one, that was so full of tears you didn't need to see them for them to be real— "General Hughes!" and ran over and hugged Hughes so tight he was lifted off the floor.

Roy heard a choking noise and looked away from his confused, airborne best friend to see that Ed had turned towards them completely. He was pale and staring at his brother, no,  _passed_ his brother, at Hughes.

"Alphonse," Hughes said, voice winded, before he had to gulp in a breath.

Alphonse lowered his gently to the floor. "I'm sorry, sir, I'm not used to the armor anymore, and I forgot, and I just got so excited, and, and-" Alphonse cut off as he very carefully gave Maes a softer hug using mostly his leather hands and making sure not to crush him against his metal chest. He let go and took a step back.

Hughes had his personal space back just long enough to take a breath before the Fullmetal Alchemist barreled into him and hugged him just as tightly as his brother had. Roy saw Ed's eyes close, and the strangest smile flint across his face before he quickly pulled away from Maes with a blush. "It's uh, good to see you, sir," he said, voice just a shade too rough. He lifted his hand, whether to nudge Maes, or shake his hand, or—heaven forbid—to salute, Roy never found out because Ed aborted the movement just as his hand made it past his waist.

"Well that was quite the unexpected welcome," Maes said with a laugh.

Ed rubbed the back of his neck. "We weren't expecting to see you. Sorry, we got a little excited," Ed said before laughing nervously. "The bastard didn't tell us that we would be getting better company." Ed shot Roy a glare.

Roy raised an eyebrow. "I'm not good enough for you, Fullmetal?"

Maes cut off Ed's reply. "Don't worry, Ed, I'm always happy to get hugs from my boys," he said before patting each boy on a shoulder. Alphonse leaned forward as if to hug him again before stopping himself.

"Brigadier General Hughes?" Al asked.

"Oh, do you hear that, Roy, we're equal rank in the future," Maes said smirking.

"Nice job supporting me from beneath."

"You always say that," Ed said with a smile that was almost...  _fond_. It reminded Roy of their talk that morning. He was supposed to start calling Fullmetal Ed. It had only been a day, but he had already slipped up. "In the future I mean," Ed continued. He was blushing now, embarrassed by the sudden attention he was receiving.

"Right, sorry. I meant Lieutenant Colonel," Al said glancing between his brother and Maes.

"How about we make it easy and you call me Maes? If Roy gets called by his name rather than rank, then I should too."

Al glanced at Ed again, and Roy couldn't help but wonder why they seemed so on edge around Maes. Sure Ed was tense around him sometimes too, but why would they feel more comfortable dropping rank with him than Maes?

"Okay," Al said. "I was wondering if you had any pictures of Elicia you wanted to show us. She's three now, right?"

Maes' face lit up. "She will be soon! Right now she's the most beautiful two year old in all of Amestris!" Maes pulled out pictures, which the brothers immediately crowded around. They looked genuinely interested. How? Roy had never seen anyone-except Gracia-look at Maes' pictures with anything more positive than a polite smile while they waited impatiently for an excuse to leave. "How old is she in your time? 1921? She's nine? I bet she's the cutest nine year old."

"We've already had her birthday. She's ten. I have pictures from the party, want to see?" Ed asked as he reached into his pocket only to come up empty. His face fell. "Oh, right. I don't have my wallet."

"It didn't come through with us, brother."

"I'm sorry," Ed said to Maes. He looked like he had just failed the most important mission Maes could have bestowed on him. As though not having pictures of the future would make the man horribly disappointed in him.

"It's okay," Maes said with a soft smile that quickly turned maniacal. "You'll just have to tell me everything about her. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I expect at least that many from you boys."

"Before the three of you start waxing poetic about Elicia, do you think we could have dinner?" Roy asked. Who knew that Maes had such an influence over the Elrics that the two would become Elicia worshippers too?

* * *

Al had been able to avoid meals so far since returning to his armor, but with Brigadier General Hughes, no  _Lieutenant_ _Colonel_ Hughes, no  _Maes_  seated at the table he wanted to join them. So he sat next to his brother and watched the others eat, and wondered if Roy's cooking was just as good in 1916 as it was in 1922. Maybe it wasn't and the man had improved with age. He would have to ask his brother later.

"I still can't get over how much you've grown," Maes said to Ed from across the table.

Ed smiled. "You should see my 22 year old body. I feel so weird in this one. It's younger, and shorter, and heavier," he said while patting his automail arm.

"Well I'll get to see that in a few years, right? And Al's too." Maes included Al in his smile.

"We think my body is about 18, so only 4 years from now." Ed sighed wistfully, and Al wondered which feeling he was focusing on more, his longing for his older body or the fact that Lieutenant Colonel Hughes may get to actually see it this time.

"I wonder how old I'll be once we get my body back," Al said.

"You'll be 21, Al, just like I'm still 22," Ed said with a reassuring smile.

"But what about my body? Will it be 17? 15? 21? How will this affect it? Will my muscles be stronger? Weaker? Or the same? And I'll have to go through physical rehabilitation all over again," Al finished with a groan.

He felt a little bad when he saw his brother's forehead wrinkle with concern, but Al had all night to think things through, and there was just so much that was still uncertain, so much they he just did not want to have to redo.

"That's not that bad," Ed said, his concern shining only in his eyes as his mouth formed a wicked grin. "It gives you the perfect excuse to hang all over Winry." He smirked at Al, who knew he would be blushing if he was still made of flesh.

"Why don't you just take out an ad so that you can tell the whole world, brother?!"

"What? Ohh, come on, Hughes doesn't count-"

"Really? Then I'll just tell him about-"

"You wouldn't dare," Ed threatened, voice gruff, as he lunged across the table at Al.

Al jumped up with a laugh, and backed out of the room saying, "I'm going to go call Winry. Someone needs to order you a new arm or you'll never get anything done."

"Yeah yeah, you do that," Ed called after him. As Alphonse walked to the phone he heard the others start on his brother with more questions.  _Good, if brother wants to keep secrets so badly, then he can handle all of their questions._

Al picked up the phone and began to dial the familiar number, the one that would always mean Winry, and home, and was his own phone number not too long ago. He slammed the phone down. This was the first time that he would be speaking to a Winry that was not the one he saw only days ago. This Winry, the only Winry here, was younger—physically, mentally, emotionally—and probably couldn't even imagine what a 21-year-old Al looked like. She didn't love him the way his Winry did; she saw him as armor, not a future husband.

Hand shaking slightly Al lifted the phone and forced himself to dial. Putting it off wouldn't make the task any more pleasant.

One ring, then another.

Maybe she wouldn't even answer. Maybe Granny would answer and Al could just tell her. But that would be the coward's way out, he should talk to Winry herself. If Granny answered though, then he would at least have an extra couple of minutes to figure out what to say.

Another ring.

"Rockbell Automail, this is Winry speaking."

It was. The voice was slightly higher, but it was Winry, his Winry.

"Hello?"

"Oh um, hi, Winry. It's Al."

"Hi, Al, it's been a while."

_Yes it has. It's been more than a day since I've heard you, seen you, held you. Why aren't you here? Better yet, why aren't I there?_

"Yeah, I guess it has. We were wondering if maybe you could come visit us in East City."

"What happened? Is Ed okay? What did you're idiot brother do now?"

Al gave a nervous laugh. "Brother's fine. He's just grown a bit and his arms are a little uneven."

"Ed actually grew?"

"Believe it or not," Al said, laughing in earnest this time. "If you can't come here, then we can come to you. We're just in the middle of working on something and were hoping to stay in the city for a bit longer."

"I guess Ed shouldn't be traveling to much on uneven legs anyway," Winry said with a giggle, most likely imaging the same thing as Al: Ed hobbling around with one leg too short.

"Oh no, it's just his arm. His leg is fine."

"How's that? His arm grew but not his leg?"

"Umm."  _No brother already had an automail leg from the future. It seems to have merged with his past self just as much as the rest of him so it's, luckily, the right length, but he didn't have an automail arm for a bit so that's caused some problems._

Al wanted to tell Winry everything. He didn't want to lie to her, he never lied to her, but he couldn't explain this over the phone. Could he even tell her  _everything_? How could Ed stand being so near and far from Roy for so long when Al couldn't stand a few minutes on the phone?

"Well something happened," Al said. "Sort of. No one's hurt, not really, but it's really complicated. It'd be easier to explain in person."

"But no one is hurt?"

"Right."

"And you just called about Ed's arm?"

"And because I missed you," he said without thinking. He covered his face with his leather hand.  _Stupid, stupid_ -

"I miss you too, Al."

With all of the things his armor couldn't feel, Al was just glad that he could still feel the flip of his nonexistent stomach as his nonexistent heart became feather light just from some soft spoken words from Winry.

"You should stay for a while. After you finish brothers arm."

"Really? I thought you guys were busy working."

"No, stay. We'll go to Rush Valley," he said, excited now by his sudden idea.

"Rush Valley! Really? That's the holy land of automail! I'd love to go! I'll have to make a list of parts to get." She let out an unintelligible squeal. "Rush Valley!"

"Actually, I've heard of this really great mechanic that lives there. He doesn't take apprentices, but it couldn't hurt to meet him, right, and see his work?"

"Apprenticeship? I never even thought about that…"

"Well, I'm not saying that you need one—you don't have to take on one—It was just a thought," Al rushed to say. He forgot that Winry didn't want an apprenticeship until she saw Ed's watch. He'd have to be careful not to influence her decisions, but he still though it was a good idea to go to Rush Valley so that Winry could meet Paninya and help deliver the baby.

Winry made a  _hmm_  noise that knocked Al out of his thoughts. "So how are you and Granny doing?" He asked, changing the subject.

"We're fine," she said hesitantly. "Nothing's really changed here." She laughed. "You know how it is."

"Yeah," he mumbled. He didn't want to hang up yet. He wanted to stay on the phone, and talk about nothing and everything, and not lose his link to home.

"Are you sure everything is okay, Al? You guys don't call very often."

This was Winry,  _Winry_ ,  _his_  Winry, the girl he could tell everything to, surely he could talk to her about how he was feeling without explaining everything.

"I've just been thinking...what if, what if we're taking on too much. We have so much to do, Winry, and it's just us, and how could we- I, I-"

"Oh, Al..." she said softly. She was quiet for a moment before she said confidently, "There's one thing that I know for sure about you and your brother; you can do anything. Everyone knows that once the Elric brothers put their minds to a goal that they'll see it through."

"I guess..."

"No. Ed's so stubborn that he sees impossible as a challenge, not a limitation. And you're almost as bad, but at least you're smart enough to make sure that you both stay alive. You'll get your bodies back, Al, I'm sure of it."

"I know..." he said before repeating stronger, "I know. It's just... We've already been though so much, and we have so much left now, and— and I can't eat or sleep or... There's no warmth— it's not even cold all the time, it's just nothing. No hot, no cold, no smell or taste, and the nights are so long, and how do you fill that many nights?"

"Al, I— I'm so sorry, I—" she sounded like she was going to cry.

"Winry no, don't—" He hadn't meant to upset her, he just wanted to talk like they always did. So he said something he had said to her dozens of times before, something he hadn't technically ever asked this Winry yet, but something he knew she was the only person he  _could_  ask. "Can I just complain?"

He couldn't complain to Ed because his brother always wanted to solve his problems. But Winry knew that even though he was kindhearted, and loving, and patient, that sometimes Al just needed to vent to someone about  _everything_  before he could put on his smile and be okay. So he'd just ask and then he could complain without having someone give advice, or sympathy, or judgment. He could give a rant that would put his brother to shame and get nothing more for his trouble than a smirk and a whispered 'give 'em hell' as he was ushered back into the real world outside of their bedroom door.

"Pease," he continued, "Can I just complain? Just this once," though it was never once, it would never be just the once no matter how many times he asked, "And not make anyone sad? No tears, no anger, no brother rushing in to defeat imaginary enemies," he finished with a laugh, which he heard her echo. He was glad, even if her laugh was weak.

"Go ahead, complain."

Just hearing that made him feel better, diminished his need to complain. He imagined smiling, wishing he still had the ability. "There's just so much going on right now, and it's almost too much to keep track of. I want to get help, but brother is refusing. He's being too stubborn this time! We need help! And on top of it all I have even more lies and secrets. I don't want to have to watch people eat and sleep! I don't want to be asked why I'm not having dinner and have to lie again while really I want nothing more than to take a bite. I don't want to stay up all night, every night. I don't want to be lonely again. I don't want to count the minutes to the sunrise; I've had to too many times. I don't want to have to do it again! And brother is being an idiot! We need to accept help and trust other people, but he won't listen to me! I can see how it's affecting him even if he can't. Two days ago he was laughing and happy, and even yesterday he was still lighthearted for most of the day." Al thought back to Ed's dramatic reaction to losing a few inches in height—it was the sort of playful reaction his brother would have in 1922—but now Ed was serious all of the time. The refound stress of the past was grating on him, making him as high-strung as he had been as a teen. "But now he's...so burdened," Al finished in a whisper.

"Then don't listen to him," Winry said as if it was simple. "Ed never knows what's good for him. Whatever he's doing now isn't, so tell him what is. Or better yet, just do it for him." She was quiet just long enough for Al to think of what to say next, but she spoke before he could reply. In a soft voice she said, "And, Al? If a night ever gets too lonely, you can always call here."

He forgot everything he was going to say. How could a suit of armor feel like there was a lump in its throat? Like its mouth was dry? Like its eyes should be wet? "Thanks, Winry," he whispered.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Be sure to call and let me know when you get here so that I can pick you up from the train station."

"Where are you staying?"

"Oh! We're staying with Colonel Mustang—"

"And Ed agreed to that? How did that happen?"

Al laughed. "It was brother's idea actually. We can't stay in the dorms right now, so brother commandeered the Colonel's house."

"That sounds like Ed." Winry sighed. "I suppose the reason you can't stay in the dorms is part of what you have to explain in person.

"Sorry, Win," Al said as he heard a noise behind him. He turned to find Lt. Col. Hughes and the young Roy behind him. He wondered how long it would take to get used to everything, to not expect people to be older, to not be surprised just because someone was alive. "Um, Winry? I should probably go,"  _before I say more than you or them should hear._ He turned back to face the phone base. "Thank you for listening."

"Anytime. I'll check the train schedules first thing in the morning and let you know."

"Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. Be sure to kick Ed awake if he snores too loudly."

"I will." He listened for a few seconds after he heard the click of the line disconnecting. He would have listened longer, cradling the phone that once held her voice, if he hadn't had an audience. He turned back around. The two men were sitting on the couch now. Alphonse sat in the chair across from them. "Where's brother?"

"He said he had something to work on," Roy said.

 _That could be true,_  Al thought.  _Or he needed to get a break from your questions, or seeing Lt. Col. Hughes was too much for him, or he needed a break from seeing you, Roy._ Because Al could finally appreciate just how hard it was to be so near someone who looked and sounded like someone you loved, but was still so fundamentally different.

"So how was Miss Rockbell?" Maes asked.

"Good. She'll be coming soon to fix brother's arm. It's okay if she stays here too, right, Roy?"

Roy looked uncertain. "I'm sorry, Al, I'm not sure that I have the room."

"Oh." Al had completely forgotten that they weren't in the same house that Roy and Ed lived in in Central. "Right, you only have the one guest bedroom here... Brother could sleep on the couch or the floor maybe... Or he could share his bed with Winry."

"You don't mind your brother sharing a bed with the girl you love?" Maes asked.

"Of course not," Al said, brushing the question aside. "It's not like they haven't shared a bed before, and brother considers Winry a sister. It wouldn't be weird."

"I think all of us trying to share one guest room might be a little weird, Al," Maes said.

Al ducked his head. "Right."

"I like the plan where Fullmetal has to sleep on the floor," Roy said, perking up.

"I guess Winry and I could get a room in a hotel. There's one near here, isn't there?"

"Not too far, and it's within walking distance of the library so you could get more research done," Roy said.

"That should work then," Al said. It was the perfect solution. Everyone would be more comfortable and Al would have more time with Winry.

"Good, I'm glad that's settled," Maes said. "So, Al, how are you? It can't be easy being tossed to a new point in time."

_It's not, I'm not okay, neither is brother. We're tired, and lonely, and scared, and we want to go home!_

"It's definitely taking some getting used to, but I think we'll settle back into things soon."

"I'm sure you will. You're both so resilient."

_We shouldn't have to be. Haven't we been through enough? Didn't we deserve our happy ending? Didn't we make up even a little for committing the taboo? We saved so many lives, but our equivalent exchange is more trials and hardship?_

"Thanks," Al mumbled, ducking his head.

"So Ed teaches at a University, but what do you do in the future?" Maes asked.

"I run an alchemy shop in Risembool. Well, actually people in town just call the house—oh, I live with Granny and Winry—and then I come over and fix whatever is broken. They pay me however they can, with money or food or books, but it's been going well," Al said. "I've gotten people from all over the country come to visit for one reason of another. I guess that's what happens when you're an Elric. So I get to travel still, which is fun. Winry comes sometimes, if she isn't needed in the shop."

"It sounds like you've set yourself up with a pretty good life," Maes said. Him and Roy both wore small smiles. "I'm glad to hear it."

Al looked down at his hands, which were fidgeting in his lap. "Yeah… but that's over now. It was nice while it lasted though." He sighed.

Maes and Roy shared a look before Roy said, "You'll have that again, Al. Both you and Ed will. It might even be easier this time. You know more now than the first time around, right?"

Al shook his head. "We do, but it's complicated. What if we try too hard for a certain result and mess it up?"

"Well what do you have to do? Maybe we can help?" Maes asked.

"I don't really want to talk about it," Al said. Had he said too much already? Personal information like his future career should be fine, right? Just nothing about homunculi or Roy being Ed's boyfriend—though he still didn't think that should be a secret.

"Okay," Roy said, "We could talk about how I'm going to be a Brigadier General in 6 years. Or less?" he trailed off, looking at Al meaningfully.

Al gave a nervous laugh but didn't answer.

"Come on, Roy, I bet things aren't too different for us in the future. The military will always be the military," Maes said. "But Ed and Al must have some exciting stories. You got your bodies back. There's no way that was boring."

"No, it definitely wasn't."

They were all silent for an uncomfortable moment.

"So what do you boys have planned next?" Roy asked. "Or I suppose I should ask what you have planned to change first."

"I think we should wait for brother to talk about that."

"Does he know your plans better than you do?"

"Well, no. I just-"

"Then why wait?" Maes asked.

"We have to be careful what we tell you."

"We just want to help, Al," Maes said, leaning forward. "The more we know, the more we can help."

That was true. It was exactly what Al had been telling Ed since they got here.

"Do you really think it's for the best?" Roy asked. "Do you think secrets are the best course of action? We're all on the same side, and we seem to get along in the future even better than we already do. Do you trust us so little?"

_I trust you with my brother, and my life, which is basically the same thing. We'd follow you into hell, we'd give our lives for either of you, for any of you on the team, but-_

"I'm not going to tell you," Al said in a calm, steady voice. They knew somehow that he had doubts, they thought— "You think I'm the weak link." It wasn't a question. He knew what they thought, and he let his surprise and hurt show in his voice.

"No, Al, we-"

"Maybe I am," Al interrupted Roy. "I don't agree with keeping secrets, you were right, but I'm still not going to tell you."  _You might have done better if you'd asked brother, but just one on one. Maybe he would have slipped with Roy the way I did with Winry. Or maybe he would have kept his resolve because you remind him of what he's lost and he's still so angry about it. Maybe we don't have a weak link._ "We made a decision, and until we decide otherwise, neither of us are telling you more than we think you need to know. Neither of us are sharing information about the future without the other knowing."

"Al-"

"No, I'm not done." Al snapped. Roy closed his mouth, and he and Maes leaned back more into the couch. "I may not have changed physically to you, but I've grown just as much as my brother. You have to realize that we aren't kids anymore. You have no idea what we've been through. Actually, some of it you do. Brother spent four years in the military, and I was beside him every step of the way. We've known you and your fellow soldiers for  _years_  longer than you've known us. You aren't going to trick me into talking."

"We were trying to-" Maes started.

"No! I'm not going to be treated like a kid again. Especially when I'm not even the one who looks younger. We've fought fights you can't even imagine, I was there to see the Fuhrer of Amestris fall, I saw a friend crowned Emperor of Xing, I've befriended and fought alongside the soldiers of Briggs, and I've travelled Creta's countryside. I am not a child, and I deserve your respect."

The silence was so loud that it rang in Al's ears. They were just staring at him. It was so uncomfortable, the silence growing by the second until it was unbearable.

Al cleared his throat. "Right. I um, that's it. I'm done now." He stood up. Both men stood as well, and Roy moved to speak.

But then Ed burst into the room. "What's with the noise?" He asked as he brushed his bangs out of his face.

"Nothing, we were just talking," Al said. "I was just about to join you. We still have to decide exactly what's best for Lior, right?" He started walking towards Ed.

"I-" Roy started.

"So let's go," Al said as he reached Ed.

Ed glanced around Al, unsure. Al imagined he saw the two men still standing by the couch, staring at his back.

"Uh, sure," Ed said before following Al out of the room.

This was one of the things Al would always love about his relationship with his brother. They were always there for each other. They would always have each other's back. They might argue, they would always disagree about something, but they would stand united. Al would try yet again tonight to change Ed's mind about keeping what they know to themselves, and Ed would probably question him about the tension in the air as soon as they were locked in the guest room. But even though they had lost everything and been hurled through time, they weren't alone. They had each other, just as they always had and always would.


	6. Chapter 6

Maes studied the list Roy had shown him earlier. He doubted Roy noticed the connection between Ed's choices and actions. Ed wasn't just more comfortable with the soldiers in his old unit; he had decided to live by them. He had given up the chance to stay with his flesh and blood brother to live in Central, to work there, and to stay in their lives even though college professors and soldiers were hardly common friends. There was something more to it, and Maes was certain it had something to do with Roy. He doubted Ed knew how any of his other coworkers liked their coffee, or where they used to live, or where they kept their key.

Al had opted to stay near his love in Risembool, had Ed done the same?

"The fall of the Fuhrer," Roy mumbled.

"And still you aren't Fuhrer in the future. How disappointing," Maes mumbled.

"Patience is a virtue," Roy said with a smirk. They were still in the living room digesting the new information Al had just given them before disappearing with his brother.

"I need to know what they know about Scar," Maes said while handing the list back to Roy.

"I need to know what the world needs saving from, and how Tucker's daughter fits into all of this, or how you do for that matter, or Lior. What the hell could be so special about a small town like Lior?" Roy threw the list down on the table, and leaned back on the couch. He let out a groan as he rubbed his eyes with his palms before sliding his hands up to run his fingers through his hair. Then he turned his head back towards Maes. "It's like we've been given half a puzzle. HA! Less than half!"

"We don't have enough to solve it yet," Maes decided, "So we'll have to learn more."

"You still think we can make them tell us?"

"Either they tell us or we keep paying attention, picking up clues as we go, noting anything that could potentially be useful. But we don't know what sort of time frame we're on. Does the world need saving in five years? Two day? Six months? We need to know as soon as possible, and the fastest way is to have them tell us."

"I would say that you're underestimating how long it will take to change a stubborn Fullmetal's mind, but perhaps I'm just underestimating our skill in persuading a teenager."

Maes studied Roy. "Not a teenager, a twenty two year old. Alphonse is right; we keep thinking of them as children, and they're not. They've been through a lot-Xing, Briggs, Creta-it sounds like they've traveled the world. They're not the enemy; they're our friends. Instead of manipulating them, let's try reasoning with them."

"Hmm." Roy stared into space for a moment, thinking, Maes knew. "Six years," Roy mumbled, glancing at his friend quickly before looking away again, dropping his head to study his hands. "Do you really think things have changed that much? No shift in the political mindset for ten years, but in the next six...?"

Maes sighed. It seemed unlikely, but it could happen. He'd watched Roy struggle with his sexuality as a teen, was there for him when he told Maes how he knew he would never have a wife after the war, had struggled with his own shock and realized that society's reaction would be ten times worse, had seen Roy realize the same thing, and then had been forced to watch his friend live a lonely life of denying himself, of lying to others, of accepting that he was going to be alone forever. And then here comes Ed saying that that isn't the only path, that Roy could find happiness. Of course Roy was skeptical, but Maes also knew that Roy felt the hope presented by the situation. And he knew that Roy was probably seeing it all wrong. Roy would never consider that maybe Ed was comfortable talking to the team about his love life not because societal views had changed, but because the team was already friends with Ed's boyfriend and knew his sexual orientation. Under Roy's mask of arrogant, charming bravado lay his deepest insecurity, and that would never let him believe he could be so lucky as to find love.

"I think it doesn't hurt to ask Ed. This isn't like saving the world, or anything dangerous. It's about social norm and his personal life, so he only has personal reasons for keeping it secret. You two are definitely closer in the future; he might confide in you."

Roy picked up the list again. "What do you think causes the Fuhrer to fall?"

Maes easily accepted the subject change; he'd given Roy enough to think about. "I suppose it's too much to hope for assassination that doesn't implicate any of us."

"That would explain why I'm not Fuhrer yet. I don't want to sit upon a bloody thrown, Maes."

"And that's why you deserve to  _be_  Fuhrer... There's not enough time for it to be old age making him quit. Though, now that I think about it, I hope someone old takes over after him. Then you won't have to wait too long. With both of us as high ranking officers, your path to the top can only be easier."

"Maybe that's why you got promoted." Roy sighed. "We know so much, and yet too little. We really can't plan anything, can we?"

"Only to talk to them, I suppose." Maes yawned and stood. "I'll go try to smooth things over with Al. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Roy called as Maes left he room.

Maes had walked in on many discussions he wasn't supposed to hear. If he was stealthy enough, he could usually gain valuable information before his presence was discovered; but he wasn't trying to be stealthy now. So when Maes walked into Roy's guest room, he was treated to the site of the Elric brothers frozen mid-conversation. Al was leaning forward, Ed's arms were spread wide, mouth open, and as Maes watched, both of their heads turned towards him.

Maes had left the uncomfortable staring match shortly after in favor of getting ready for bed. The second time he entered the guest bedroom, he found Al sitting, reading, on one side of the room, and Ed sleeping on the other.

Al stood. "I'll get out of your way, sir."

Maes waved Alphonse back down. "It's fine, Alphonse, stay. The thing about soldiers is that we learn to sleep no matter how much noise or light is around us."

Al sat back down, and hesitantly muttered, "If you're sure."

Maes walked over and sat on the ground next to Al. "Alphonse," he whispered, "I'm sorry about earlier." As he looked at Alphonse's helmet, he couldn't help but think that this would be much easier if he were talking to someone with a more expressive face. "We shouldn't have..." He trailed off as Alphonse turned toward the bed.

Ed was moving. Reaching out across the bed as if looking for someone or something. He gripped the sheets, and dragged them up before letting go and raking the nails of his curled hand down the empty bed. Finally, he shivered and tucked his hand against his chest. The rest of his limbs soon followed as he curled into a ball on the bed and became still again.

"He's never slept like that before," Al whispered, drawing Maes's attention back to him. "He usually lays on his back, sprawls out, and exposes his stomach, you know? Like he's trying to be as obnoxious in sleep as he is when awake." Maes could almost hear the affectionate smile in Alphonse's voice, and the helmet didn't seem so cold and unfeeling. "I've never seen him sleep like that before," Al continued, looking down, "Not before we came back here at least."

Maes studied Al, his down turned head and the way his fingers fidgeted along his knee. He placed his hand on Al's and asked, "And how are you doing?"

After a second, Al whispered, "It's late. You should go to sleep, sir."

Maes gave the metal hand in his a squeeze before he did just that.

Maes woke to find Ed gone and Al staring out the window from where he was still seated on the floor. Maes sat on the edge of his bed and watched Al. He was silent and still in a way that anyone flesh and blood couldn't be. These boys, no men, had been forced to grow and endure so much already. Maes sighed.

"Alphonse, we need to talk."

"I'm not going to tell you anything," Al said without moving.

"And I can't make you. I wish you would hear our side though." At that, Alphonse turned to face Maes. "You're adults, I see that now. It's your choice what to do with the information you have, but, Al, we have a right to know. It's our future too, our country, our loved ones, we have the right to act, and defend, and help. We have a duty as soldiers."

"I know," Al said softly. He tilted his head down before bringing his gaze back to Maes's and squaring his shoulders. "But you don't understand. The information we have, it's dangerous. A lot of people got hurt and even died just for coming close to finding out what we know. If we tell you  _anything_ -"

"If you don't, we'll look into it anyway." Maes paused to let that sink in. "We know something's up now, so we'll research, and dig, and ask questions-"

"You can't!"

"We will," Maes said in his no nonsense, Lieutenant Colonel, I out rank you tone of voice. "You would, and you know that we  _will_. And because you and your brother refuse to share information, we won't know who to avoid, or what subjects deserve the most discretion, and we may be in more danger than we would have been in originally."

Maes heard a rattling, clanking sound, and realized that the armor was shaking.

"We need talk to brother," Al said, rushing to his feet.

"Thank you," Maes said as he followed.

When Ed woke up, he continued his morning routine as usual. He went to the kitchen and made two cups of coffee, and by the time a sleep disheveled Roy stumbled into the room, he was halfway done with his cup and awake enough to appreciate how cute Roy looked when still sleep groggy.

Roy's hair was a mess, and Ed wondered when it was Roy would start combing his bed head into order before coming downstairs. Was it when he moved to Central? When Ed started staying with him? When they had started dating? Did he only sleep shirtless when he had Ed to cuddle with at night?

Roy took a long sip from his cup with his eyes closed. He took a deep breath of the steam from the mug before lowering it, opening his eyes, and gracing Ed with a real smile. It was the kind of smile that Ed thought he wouldn't get to see for a while, the kind that he hadn't seen before they became friends in his original timeline. He couldn't help the small gasp that slipped out as he stared at Roy, trying not to melt.

"Thanks."

"No, um, no problem," he muttered, giving a small smile of his own. He looked around the kitchen before turning back to Roy. "You know, when you're Fuhrer you might need to be able to think without coffee."

Roy shrugged and smirked. "I mostly just want to pass a law requiring all the female military employees to wear miniskirts. As long as I get that law passed who cares if I'm thinking clearly."

Ed flinched, jerked his automail back, making it bang off the counter behind him, and almost spilling his coffee.

Roy jumped. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ed said quickly.  _You just acted like you,_ young _you. I wasn't ready for it. You can't just-_

Roy grabbed Ed's shoulder. "Don't lie. What's wrong?"

Ed jerked his arm away, saying, "Can you just not?" He took a deep breath, and gave himself a shake, turning away from Roy. "Can you just not pretend? Not with me." Ed turned back to see Roy frozen, eyes a little wider.  _Is he even breathing,_ Ed wondered. Ed laughed, and muttered, "Don't lie." Louder, he continued, "Do you know why Al outted me to the whole office? Because everyone in there already knew. Everyone, Roy, including you. We're used to being open and honest, to talking about it with our friends. And that's what you and I are, Roy, friends. Do you really think you wouldn't say something to me if I came out to you? Your young, confused, teenaged friend? Of course we've talked, and of course I know about you. So can you  _just not_?"

Roy blinked, but otherwise didn't move. Ed sighed again, ran a hand through his bangs, and turned to leave.

"Is it different?" Roy's quiet question made Ed stop. "In the future, is it different?" Ed turned back around. "For," Roy swallowed, "For people like us, is it different? Is it better?"

Ed stepped closer, and leaned on the counter next to Roy. "In two years from now? No. Two years after that? It's a little better. Two years after that? It's even better, and it was only going to keep improving."

"What changed?"

Ed turned to face Roy. "You did." He smiled, and continued, "You started fighting for our rights, and it was working. You did so much for me." Ed shook his head. "I came to you, talking about girls or something, and I had no clue what was wrong with me."

"Wrong with you?" Roy asked, frowning.

Ed smiled wider. "You got all offended then, too. I know nothing's wrong with me. You helped me realize that. You helped me see that it was okay, and that I deserved to be happy just as much as anyone else, even if I think differently, or am part metal, or covered in scars." Roy moved to speak, but Ed cut him off. "It's because of you that I feel confident enough to have a boyfriend, and that I can see us having a future. I can believe that there will be a day when I can hold his hand in public because he'd like that sort of sappy thing. And one day we'll get to sit close to each other in a restaurant without bringing a group so big that we have no choice but to be squished together at the table, and maybe- just maybe, when Al and Winry get married, we'll be able to dance and kiss like the other couples."

"You dance?"

Ed laughed. "No, but he wishes I did. He always looks for an excuse to teach me, but I'm always able to get out of it. I mean, where exactly would we go dancing?" Ed shook his head, and continued, "But I'd learn for Al's wedding. As long as I get to dance with him." He paused and looked down. "I should get used to using past tense, I guess."

After a pause, Roy asked in a soft voice, "Why don't you tell him?"

Ed snorted. "What am I supposed to tell him? Hey, I'm from the future, and we're meant to be together? Should I say that we have potential?" He looked back up and caught Roy's eyes as he continued, "That you don't know me very well, but I know which side of the bed you sleep on, and what your lucky underwear looks like, and that you could love me? Like  _really_  love me. Enough to see past everything, and make me hate my scars less because you think they're beautiful." It was suddenly too real. He was talking to Roy, admitting everything, as he slowly said, "I know your deepest dreams, and I would do anything to make them come true. And in return, you support me and help me when I feel lost. You make me never want to leave home now that I have one, but you push me to travel because you know I need to. You make it okay that I don't have alchemy because I can't imagine feeling anything other than complete when I'm with you." Ed's voice cracked, so he cut himself off and turned away from Roy. He leaned back against the counter, and leaned his head down so that his bangs slid around his face and he would have been staring the floor if his eyes weren't screwed shut. "And if that doesn't scare him away-" Ed stopped trying as his voice broke again.

He took deep breaths.  _Calm down, calm drown. He's going to think you're an idiot-_

"I'd want to know."

Ed's head snapped back up, eyes open as he stared at Roy.

"If someone loved me that much, I'd want to know. If someone could give me hope that one day it would be okay, that I didn't have to be alone forever, that I could have love and support, and that I was capable of giving it in return, of making someone that happy, I hope that they'd tell me."

Ed blinked.  _You'd want to know? Even if it meant being in a relationship with a teenager, with someone who knows all about you? Maybe..._ "Roy, I-"

"Brother!" Al skid to a halt as soon as he entered the kitchen. "Oh..."

Hughes walked up behind Al, and looked between Roy and Ed. "Are we interrupting something?"

_He doesn't know anything,_  Ed reminded himself. He must be just imagining the smug look on Hughes's face. Still, he took a step away from Roy, and then another towards Al.

"What's wrong, Al?" Ed asked, not daringly to risk a glance at Roy.

"I was talking to Lieutenant Col- I mean Maes, and I think we should tell them-"

"Al." Ed sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We've been through this-"

"But we didn't settle it!" Ed froze, but before he could answer, Al continued, "I heard your side, and I was going along with it. But it's not safer! They're still in danger!"

"If we tell them-"

"If we don't then they'll be in more danger."

"No they won't, Al, they-"

"Yes, we will, Ed," Hughes interrupted. "If you don't tell us anything, then we won't know who or what to avoid. We'll research on our own."

"Can't you just trust us that-"

"Would you? Would you sit and-"

"Would you let me finish a damn sentence?" Ed screamed. "Fine! Fine, you don't want to let me explain? You don't want to trust that we know what we're doing? You want to know everything despite us saying that it's dangerous-"

"We can-"

"You die!"

All air left the room at Ed's words. Or maybe it just left his lungs. He couldn't breath, and no one was moving. He tried to continue, to explain, his voice solemn now, "You die, in the future. I don't want that to happen again. I can't see Elicia lose her father. I can't,"  _I can't see Roy lose his best friend again. I won't watch him walk that dark path again, and I won't let you give him another reason to drink._  Ed sad down at the table, his head in his hands, and focused on his breathing.

"Brother?" Al said softly, taking a seat as well, "The Brigadier General was killed because he found out something he wasn't supposed to. If we tell them everything now, then we can hide it from...  _them_ , and have Roy and Maes help without as much danger. We'll tell them what to pretend they don't know."

Ed would have smiled at the fact that Al wouldn't even say homunculus in front of the others without Ed agreeing to tell, but he was too stiff with to the tension rolling off of the soldiers still standing. "Would you two sit?" When they just kept staring off into space, Ed snapped, "Sit!"

Roy and Hughes exchanged a glance before joining the brothers at the table. As Roy sat down, he folded his hands together and turned to Ed with the same look he wore when Ed used to sit across his desk after a mission. "Explain. Everything."

Ed sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "It's complicated. A lot happened, but I guess the best place to start is with Father." As he finished speaking, he glanced questioningly at Al.

"Your father?" Hughes asked, drawing Ed's attention.

"No, Father, he's-"

"Oh! I'll go get the map," Al said as he stood from the table.

"Great idea, Al," Ed said, and as if he had been waiting for Ed's permission to leave, Al nodded and left. The map really was a great idea. It would be much easier to explain with the visual aid.

"You need a map to explain this?" Roy was clearly getting frustrated. No wonder after Ed's revelation about his best friend.

"It's-okay," Ed said, gesturing with his hands in front of him, "Father is this bearded bastard that lives under Central-"

"Under-"

"Do you want to hear it or not? Stop interrupting." From then on, Ed explained without interruption. He told them about the homunculi and Father, not even pausing as Al placed the map under his constantly moving hands. He told them about Scar and Hohenhiem, Marcoh and their friends from Xing. He told them everything. Then he told them some of Al and his plans: to save Nina, and Hughes, and fix Lior. He told them about needing to get Scar and the Ishvallians to complete the transmutation circle.

His explanation left them pale and speechless. For a few moments at least.

"That's all you have planned so far?"

"It's only been two day," Ed answered Roy defensively.

"But you didn't mention plans for Father at all."

"Because obviously we're going to stop him."

"But how?" Roy asked, leaning forward. "Not the same way, surely."

Ed scratched the back of his neck. It was a miracle they'd beat Father the first time, how the hell would they do it now? "Father's dangerous. He'll take lots of planning."

"I think it's clear what you need to do." Of course the bastard would look so smug after hearing about an enemy living right under Central. He'd sputtered and protested during their explanations, but that wasn't obvious at all now.

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"You said Marco could destroy Envy's stone. Why not do the same thing to Father?"

"Because-" Ed cut off his instinctual protest to Roy's know it all tone. He turned to Al. "Would that work?"

Al shrugged, "Maybe? Yes? I- actually I don't see why it wouldn't."

"We just need to make a circle?"

"Well, we'll need Scar's circle first so that Father can't just turn ours off, and it'll have to be big, like really big, the size of the whole country big, but maybe? Yeah!" By the end Al looked more excited then skeptical.

"We have a plan?" Ed asked, feeling more hope than he had since finding out they were stuck.

"We have a plan!" Al answered, smiling back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this took so long! I had most of it done a few months after the last chapter was posted, but while I was struggling with the final conversation (how much do I show? how much do I skip? don't make it a boring recap, but don't brush over everything. etc. etc.), I got sucked into the FMA RP side of Tumblr (my username is majormetalandcolonelsparky if any of you are into it too and want to follow :D be sure to say hi!).When I did have free time to write (work and grad school stole all of my free time) I usually wrote on there, instead of for this story.
> 
> Now that the conversation that gave me major writer's block is done, I hope I'll do better with updates. I really do feel awful that I let this sit so long. Worse is that I refused to update Rewind in the hopes that it would encourage me to update here, and it just stalled both stories. I'll try to do better! Your words of encouragement really do help. Saia-chan in particular really kicked my butt into gear to finish this chapter. They reminded me that people liked this story and wanted to read it.
> 
> If you're still with me, then I thank you so much! You have no idea how much it means to me.
> 
> Sorry again, and I'll try to do better from now on. I hope you liked this chapter, and it wasn't disappointing.


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